Without wishing to open a can of worms (although, it seems inevitable that anything regarding this composer will be...) I want to share an article I really like that quite accurately introduces aspects of Richard Wagner's works that I find particularly interesting:
Ride of the Red Valkyries: Wagner, Marxism and 'The Ring'
Hope you enjoy reading it!
In sharing this article I am curious to know a few things....
I am not well aware of what the public perception of Wagner is these days so I don't know exactly how much of what is mentioned in the article is part of common discourse. Amongst many other people I know who are both self-described communists and fans of classical music, there's still varying opinion regarding how much of his stuff is proto-fascist, but the majority seem to hold the view that there are far more relevant concerns to have in terms of reclaiming his work for the left, inclusivity, and such things.
Also, what do people here think of Adorno and what he has to say about Wagner? And by extension, what do people here think other philosophers of the Frankfurt School regarding music and the culture industry as a whole?
Ride of the Red Valkyries: Wagner, Marxism and 'The Ring'
Hope you enjoy reading it!
In sharing this article I am curious to know a few things....
I am not well aware of what the public perception of Wagner is these days so I don't know exactly how much of what is mentioned in the article is part of common discourse. Amongst many other people I know who are both self-described communists and fans of classical music, there's still varying opinion regarding how much of his stuff is proto-fascist, but the majority seem to hold the view that there are far more relevant concerns to have in terms of reclaiming his work for the left, inclusivity, and such things.
Also, what do people here think of Adorno and what he has to say about Wagner? And by extension, what do people here think other philosophers of the Frankfurt School regarding music and the culture industry as a whole?